Saturday, February 27, 2010

Just a few minutes ago we had some visitors on the back patio - skunks! My camera was all packed away, so no photos. But the best was a story told by the Flower girls mom, while we were watching a skunk nose around on the patio. The Flower girls family has two cats. One cat is allowed in the house, the other (the big gray male) is not. However, the big gray cat doesn't have it so bad outside. After the Flower girls made such a stink about him having to stay outside, their dad made a nice little dog house (opps - cat house)for it. The cat house has a large heating pad in it, as well as an insulated curtain for a door. Last night, during a snow storm the big gray cat was laying outside of his house, with the snow beginning to drift over him. An investigation showed that the cat was very much alive. So the mom tried to talk him into his "cat house". Didn't work, so she tried to push him in. The big gray cat put up quite a fight, and would not go in the house. Mom then remembered that another cat had shown up recently, and thought that cat may have taken up residence in the heated cat house. This "stranger" cat was not really a stray, but one that had been "dropped" off out in the country; and was very friendly. Well the Flower girls mom commenced to get down and pull the curtain aside to see if the "dropped off" cat was in there. Yep! it was in there all right - or so she thought. She reached in to grab the "dropped off" cat, pulled out a Raccoon. It's a good thing the raccoon was half hibernating. Soon there after the big gray cat reclaimed his heated cat house. Now the mom and the Flower girls feel sorry for the raccoon. Good thing I'm leaving for Florida the first thing in the morning; cause the girls would ask me to make a Raccoon house for sure.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

These are some recently carved gnomes. I have been busy getting ready for a 5 week Florida vacation, so not much in the way of quilting and carving got done. I have cut lots of gnome blanks to take with me to carve. The next posting will be from Florida. Of course I'll be spending some time looking for Gnomey for the Flower girls......

Sunday, February 21, 2010

I'm not so sure that this little Gnome has thought this out. If that jug is full, and that cork come out all at once! Well, it just might be more than he bargained for. The Gnome is about 1 1/2 inch tall, while the jug is 2 3/4 inches. Both carved. My good friend Thomas Perrin (Thomp) carved the jug.

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

I whittle is what! Yep, sitting at the counter at the diner in town, I whittle and drink my morning coffee. As you can see, when I whittle small things, there is little mess to clean up. I can usually get several of these little gnomes whittled with my coffee. Now painting them is a different story. I am trying to create little scenes for the gnomes. This one's checkin out a little butterfly.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Deer are getting hungry. When the snow gets over 12 inches deep the deer come up to the patio bird feeders and knock the seed out to eat. We normally have shelled corn and apples, but ran out. These guys still look pretty healthy.

We don't usually get this much snow in a short period of time. But this year it seems is different. I have learned to shovel the drive as soon as the snow gets about 2 inches deep, instead of waiting. I think with this storm I've shoveled the drive 10 times in three days. The first few times I ended up sore. Now I'm not sore at all, after finishing. I guess I've shoveled myself into shape.......

At least I've got plenty of carving/whittlin wood, lots of good books, and lots of time.......

Sunday, February 14, 2010

The Flower Girls did not forget me this Valentines day. They made me some cupcakes. And I think they might have applied the frosting and toppings themselves. Gee! Do you think?

The youngest sister has been asking about Gnomey. In fact she told me to look for him when I'm in Florida. We're going to Florida for the month of March. I told her I would, but I thought that since gnomes might have some kind of magic powers, that Gnomey might find me. And if he did, he would probably hide in the car and hitch a ride home.

Monday, February 8, 2010

An awful lot of the Eastern part of the country is digging out. Some areas had 30 inches of snow, others probably none. Schools close, meetings are cancelled, snow emergencies are enacted, and even in some areas driving is prohibited. Snow plow drivers get overtime money, and grocery stores sell out of bread, milk, and beer. Auto body shops schedule a huge volume of work. You cannot buy a snow shovel anywhere, and even snow blowers are quickly disappearing from the stores.

We in my family have a unique opportunity to compare the different reactions to snow fall. Youngest daughter and family live in the northern Ohio snow belt. I live in Central Ohio, which is not the snow belt. We have worked out a calculation that we both can agree on, as it relates to snow fall. We have determined that there is a 1 to 30 ratio or calculation that works. It basically says that 1 inch of snow in Central Ohio equals about 30 inches of snow in Northern Ohio.

When i inch of snow is forecast for Central Ohio, the TV weather folks go into orgasmic frenzy. There are special alerts, and special TV programs on how to survive. The State Transportation dudes lay down brine, salt, and stage every driver for the "white death". Everything of a public nature closes down. People make a mad rush to the grocery stores to stock up. All plans are cancelled. That's with 1 inch of snow. TV weather folks in the Ohio snow belt might make an announcement if the expected snow fall is to be 24 inches or more. But nothing ever thinks of closing.

Saturday, February 6, 2010

The other day I said I was going to whittle a Gnome playin a banjo. This is my first attempt. The Gnome himself is one inch tall, his hat another inch. He's a little one. The second one will have more detail. Consider this one a prototype.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

In the last posting it was suggested that I post a pattern and maybe do a video of carving the Little Gnomes. I'll do this for now, since I am buried in work at the moment. It just dawned on me that I have signed up for several carving shows this spring, and have given lots of my carvings away. So I have to get to caring or I'll have nothing to show....

The bottom row of Gnomes are the way I usually start carving a series of things. The middle row is usually the second carving of the items. Notice that the second row is smaller than the bottom row. Finally, my mind must say, "you can go smaller than that". The top row is about as small as I care to go. The middle row, however, may be the best size for me.

I start with a sketch on paper. Refine the sketch, and then cut it out. Next I merely trace the Gnome onto a piece wood, using the pattern. On these small pieces I don't cut out both "planes", just the profile.

Monday, February 1, 2010

Spring is not all that far away. And since spring is the season for renewal, it's time to create some Gnomes. Some of these little folks will become part of a rustic picture frame, while others will just hang out on a shelf. And of course the "pick-of-the-litter" will go to the Flower girls.

About Me

Retired male. Next birthday will be 78. Spend most of my time carving and quilting. Retired early (51) from a major university; so I am gettin this retirement thing down real good. I talked myself into wood carving. My daughter talked me into making quilts.